Abrazando Esperanzas

To assume that change will happen by just focusing on November 4 is a naive view of history and a adolescent understanding of democracy. On Nov. 4 people will elect a new administrator in the same system of power that perpetuates itself. There are bigger systems than the executive and the legislative at play here. On Nov. 4 the imbalanced of structure of representative “democracy” is will not be on the ballot. Nor there will be a vote about the position of hierarchical power of the wealthy elite (individual, coorporations, international trade organizations) whom live and operate outside national politics but benefit economically from it. There will be no option to vote about the myth of the USA as patriarchal leader and police of the world. These and more are some of the structures and foundations that need to be strongly questioned and challenge in order to bring real change.

Don’t get me wrong, I am fortunate to share with my daughter the historic time of having a black man and a woman running for office. Like many others I get excited by many of the statements and political platform from Senator Barack Obama, but that is not enough for me to believe there will be more than aesthetic modifications. While I think there will be certain alterations to the pattern of politics, economics and social services we’ve see in the past 8 years, that will not be enough to call it change.

The following is a brief list of USA military interventions in the Latin America. As you can see the list start way before year 2000. The same myths that fueled these and many other interventions still fueling the national identity of USA to this day.

Argentina

1890

Troops

Buenos Aires interests protected

Chile

1891

Troops

Marines clash with nationalist rebels

Haiti

1891

Troops

Black workers revolt on U.S.-claimed Navassa Island defeated

Nicaragua

1894

Troops

Month-long occupation of Bluefields

Panama

1895

Naval, troops

Marines land in Colombian province

Nicaragua

1896

Troops

Marines land in port of Corinto

Cuba

1898-

Naval, troops

Seized from Spain, U.S. still holds Navy base at Guantanamo

Puerto Rico

1898-

Naval, troops

Seized from Spain, occupation continues

Nicaragua

1898

Troops

Marines land at port of San Juan del Sur

Nicaragua

1899

Troops

Marines land at port of Bluefields

Honduras

1903

Troops

Marines intervene in revolution

Dominican Republic

1903-04

Troops

U.S. interests protected in Revolution

Cuba

1906-09

Troops

Marines land in democratic election

Nicaragua

1907

Troops

“Dollar Diplomacy” protectorate set up

Honduras

1907

Troops

Marines land during war with Nicaragua

Panama

1908

Troops

Marines intervene in election contest

Nicaragua

1910

Troops

Marines land in Bluefields and Corinto

Honduras

1911

Troops

U.S. interests protected in civil war

Cuba

1912

Troops

U.S. interests protected in Havana

Panama

1912

Troops

Marines land during heated election

Honduras

1912

Troops

Marines protect U.S. economic interests

Nicaragua

1912-33

Troops, bombing

20-year occupation, fought guerrillas

Mexico

1913

Naval

Americans evacuated during revolution

Dominican Republic

1914

Naval

Fight with rebels over Santo Domingo

Mexico

1914-18

Naval, troops

Series of interventions against nationalists

Haiti

1914-34

Troops, bombing

19-year occupation after revolts

Dominican Republic

1916-24

Troops

8-year Marine occupation

Cuba

1917-33

Troops

Military occupation, economic protectorate

Panama

1918-20

Troops

“Police duty” during unrest after elections

Honduras

1919

Troops

Marines land during election campaign

Guatemala

1920

Troops

2-week intervention against unionists

Costa Rica

1921

Troops

Panama

1921

Troops

Honduras

1924-25

Troops

Landed twice during election strife

Panama

1925

Troops

Marines suppress general strike

El Salvador

1932

Naval

Warships sent during Faribundo Marti revolt

Uruguay

1947

Nuclear threat

Bombers deployed as show of strength

Puerto Rico

1950

Command operation

Independence rebellion crushed in Ponce

Guatemala

1954-?

Command operation, bombing, nuclear threat

CIA directs exile invasion and coup d’Etat after newly elected government nationalizes unused U.S.’s United Fruit Company lands; bombers based in Nicaragua; long-term result: 200,000 murdered